Expedition Overview
Expedition Overview
SPECIAL OFFERS
- Disney Vacation Club Member Special Offer: Save Up to $500 on Select 2023 Departures
For a limited time, eligible Disney Vacation Club Members can save on select 2023 Signature Land and River Cruise departures. Book by July 24, 2023 for travel between June 2023 and December 2023 and enjoy savings on trips to amazing destinations throughout the world:
Save $350 per person on select 2023 North America Signature Land itineraries:
Alaska: Denali to Kenai Fjords
- August 30, 2023
- September 6, 2023
Canadian Rockies by Rail and Trail
- September 18, 2023
Costa Rica: Wildlife and Conservation
- October 10, 2023
- November 7, 2023
- December 5, 2023
Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks
- June 3, 2023
- September 23, 2023
- October 7, 2023
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
- June 10 & 23, 2023
Save $500 per person on select 2023 International Signature Land itineraries:
- September 16, 2023
- December 4 & 28, 2023
Hiking the Alpe-Adria Trail through Austria, Slovenia, and Italy
- June 19 & 30, 2023
- July 21, 2023
Human History: Northern Spain and Southwest France
- June 1 & 8, 2023
- September 14 & 28, 2023
Iceland: Volcanoes, Glaciers, and Whales
- June 28, 2023
- July 20 & 27, 2023
- August 19, 2023
- September 3 & 15, 2023
Ireland: Tales and Traditions of the Emerald Isle
- June 29, 2023
- August 31, 2023
- September 21, 2023
Italy: Renaissance Cities and Tuscan Life
- June 14, 2023
- October 18, 2023
On Safari: Exploring Wildlife Conservation in Kenya
- June 2, 2023
- July 9, 2023
- August 11, 2023
- September 30, 2023
- December 4, 2023
Morocco Photography Expedition
- September 16, 2023
Morocco: Legendary Cities and the Sahara
- October 7 & 21, 2023
New Zealand From North to South
- October 13, 2023
- December 29, 2023
- June 4 & 18, 2023
- July 16, 2023
- August 13, 2023
On Safari: Tanzania’s Great Migration
- August 16, 2023
- September 2 & 20, 2023
- December 27, 2023
Palau: Snorkeling and Kayaking the Pristine Seas
- October 16, 2023
- November 12, 2023
Remembering D-Day: London to the Normandy Beaches
- June 1, 2023
Scotland Hiking Adventure: From the Highlands to Islands
- July 15 & 22, 2023
- August 5 & 19, 2023
Southern Africa Safari by Private Air
- August 30, 2023
- December 28, 2023
Spain: Walking the Camino de Santiago
- June 16, 2023
- September 15, 22 & 29, 2023
- October 6, 2023
Swiss Trains and the Italian Lake District
- June 4 & 25, 2023
- July 2, 16, 23 & 30, 2023
- August 13, 2023
The Holy Land: Past, Present, and Future
- November 11, 2023
- December 30, 2023
Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia: Ancient Temples and Natural Wonders
- October 14, 2023
- December 30, 2023
Save $500 per person on select 2023 River Cruise itineraries:
Danube Christmas Markets River Cruise
- December 9, 2023
Rhine River Cruise: Basel to Amsterdam
- September 18, 2023
Rhine Christmas Markets River Cruise
- December 7, 2023
Take advantage of this National Geographic Expeditions 2023 Offer for Disney Vacation Club Members by calling (877) 728-7282, contacting your Travel Advisor or booking online with the Offer Code: DVCNGE23
Important Information
- Book by July 24, 2023
- Offer is good for select itineraries and dates only
- This is a cash-only offer; Members cannot use Disney Vacation Club Points or a combination of points and cash
- Offer is for new booking only
- Offer availability is limited for each departure
- May not be combined with other offers, discounts or promotions
- Not all stateroom categories are available for booking; not valid for Suites
Between May 23 and July 24, 2023, Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Members who book select National Geographic Expeditions itineraries save: (1) $350 off per person on select North America Land departures; or (2) $500 off per person on select International Land and River Cruise departures. Offer valid only for select departures between June and December 2023, and offer availability is limited for each departure. The per-person savings is taken from the non-discounted prevailing rate for each departure as quoted on the date of booking (“Regular Rate”). Regular Rates are based on double occupancy, vary depending on departure date and time of booking, and are subject to change. Travel must be booked 30 - 60 days prior to applicable departure date, depending on the itinerary. Not applicable to deposit, baggage fees, extensions, or airfare. Not all stateroom categories are available for booking, and the offer is not valid for Suites. Availability of the offer is subject to confirmation at time of booking and paying the standard trip deposit. Any courtesy hold, without payment of the standard deposit, will not guarantee availability of the offer for the selected departure date. Offer valid for new, cash bookings only; not valid for bookings with points or a combination of cash and points. Subject to availability at the time of booking. May not be combined with other offers, discounts, or promotions. Offer not transferable or redeemable for cash in whole or in part. Not valid for group bookings. A limited number of staterooms of certain categories are available for the promotion. Offer valid for residents of the U.S. and Canada (except for Quebec where the offer is only available to travel agents). Void where prohibited. Offer is subject to restrictions and conditions and may change without notice. Bookings subject to restrictions and trip standard terms and conditions. Disney Vacation Club Members can book by calling National Geographic Expeditions directly. To receive these discounts, Members must be eligible for Membership Extras. Membership Extras is an incidental benefit subject to change or termination. Members should refer to the Membership Extras Acknowledgement and Disclosure Statement for more information or visit disneyvacationclub.com.
Available Departures- Oct 10-18, 2023
- Nov 7-15, 2023
- Dec 5-13, 2023
- Encounter a wide range of wildlife, from white-faced capuchins and howler monkeys to sloths, caimans, basilisk lizards, toucans, and thousands of butterflies.
- Navigate the Río Frío of Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge by boat and identify unusual rainforest species hiking with naturalists from La Selva Biological Station & Reserve.
- Join researchers in the field at the Monteverde Institute and participate in their ongoing cloud forest conservation projects.
- Watch for monkeys and birdlife while navigating the mangroves of Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge, and meet with experts from local scientific organizations focused on sustainability and conservation.
Itinerary
Itinerary
From cloud forests and wetlands to coastal mangroves and pristine beaches, discover Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity—and the conservation efforts that are helping to preserve it. On an expedition to wildlife refuges and national parks across northern Costa Rica, venture into the rainforests that blanket Arenal Volcano and go birding in the marshes of Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge. Visit a working coffee and cacao farm, follow naturalists on hikes through habitats teeming with wildlife, and meet scientists at three different research stations for an inside look at critical conservation efforts.
Arrive at Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San José, Costa Rica’s capital city, and transfer to our hotel upon arrival. After time to enjoy a swim or wander through the hotel’s tropical gardens and coffee plantation, meet for a welcome reception and dinner.
Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen
Travel north into the lowland tropical forests of Sarapiquí to La Selva Biological Station & Reserve, home to 470 recorded bird species, 125 mammal species, and so much more. On a naturalist-led hike, look for colorful poison dart frogs and unusual plant species, learn about long-term research projects, and discover the important role of the reserve in creating a protected biological corridor. This afternoon, drive to our lodgings at the base of Arenal Volcano. Enjoy a talk by our expert before dinner at the hotel.
Arenal Kioro Suites and Spa
Set out on a full-day excursion to one of the world’s great wetlands, Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge. Stretching along the border with Nicaragua, the reserve is a birder’s paradise, attracting hundreds of species of migratory birds to its shallow lagoons. Navigate the waterways in a covered boat, watching for all manner of wildlife, from roseate spoonbills to caimans, monkeys, and sloths. Return to Arenal this afternoon.
Arenal Kioro Suites and Spa
Spend the morning exploring Arenal Volcano National Park, where lush rainforests flank the conical peak of the most active volcano in Central America. On a naturalist-led hike, learn about the geothermal forces that kept this volcano simmering until 2011, and discover the park’s diverse flora and fauna. Take advantage of a free afternoon to visit the nearby hot springs or relax at the hotel pool, enjoying views of the stunning symmetrical peak of Arenal. Before dinner, try your hand at stirring up a guaro sour, a cocktail made with a Costa Rican sugarcane spirit.
Arenal Kioro Suites and Spa
Begin the day with a private boat ride across beautiful Lake Arenal. Continue by road to Don Juan Tours, a family-run coffee farm, where we’ll take a tour of their coffee, cacao, and sugarcane plantation. Enjoy a tasting of the fruits and their finished products and discover their different uses in medicine and cuisine. Then journey to the cloud forest-covered mountains of Monteverde.
Fondavela Monteverde Hotel
Awaken early for a specially arranged excursion to the Monteverde Institute. Enjoy a picnic breakfast during a talk about the important fieldwork being done at the Monteverde Institute and its long relationship with National Geographic. Then split into groups to join researchers in the field. You’ll have the chance to tend native plants at the nursery or pitch in with reforestation efforts and participate in bird mist netting and tagging. Sit down to a well-earned lunch at a local restaurant. Then hike trails through the cloud forest and cross hanging bridges to get a close up view of the canopy.
Fondavela Monteverde Hotel
Head for the coastal province of Guanacaste this morning and set out on a guided visit to Santa Rosa National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Costa Rica. Here, tropical dry forest reaches all the way to the beach, harboring a wealth of wildlife. On a drive through the park, watch for some of the resident creatures, as well as 500-year-old trees and stunning scenery. Get a closer look on a guided walk along a forest trail. End your day with a presentation at the hotel by experts in the subject of sea turtle conservation, where they will provide general information about Las Baulas National Park and their challenges and efforts, including citizen science, environmental education, and communication to support the community of Playa Grande and the national park. One main topic that will be shared is the Marine Litter Lab, which we will visit the next day and be able to tie the information obtained with the field work.
El Mangroove
Las Baulas National Marine Park stretches along the Tamarindo Bay, protecting mangroves, beaches, and waters where sea turtles come to nest each year. Board small boats to explore the mangroves of the adjacent Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge this morning, on the lookout for crocodiles, white-faced capuchin monkeys, and many bird species. After lunch, take part in a brief presentation and a visit to a sea turtle nursery for some field work, consisting of a swift beach clean-up and then an analysis of the interaction with wildlife. Then meet with representatives from the scientific organizations Sostenibilidad en Grande (Sustainability at Large), and FUNDECODES (Foundation for Balance Between Conservation and Sustainable Development). Tonight, toast your Costa Rica wildlife adventure at a farewell dinner.
El Mangroove
After breakfast, transfer to the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Guanacaste to catch your flight home.